//0{jf 


TheBvbkm 

ofGuidana 


fy  S.D. Gordon 


INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 
45  West  18th  Street,  New  York  City 


i 


The 

Problem  of  Guidance 

A Chapter  from 

“Quiet  Talks  on  Personal  Problems' ’’ 

By  S.  D.  GORDON 


The  Interchurch  World  Movement 
of  North  America 

45  West  1 8th  Street  New  York  City 


Copyright  1907-1910 
By  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 
and  reprinted  with  permission 


PRICE 

5 cents  each,  50  cents  per  dozen 
$2.75  per  hundred 


A Guide  Over  Life's  Trail 


OBODY  thinks  of  climbing  the  dangerous 


passes  and  peaks  of  Switzerland  without  a 
guide.  The  experienced  travelers  are  very  careful 
about  getting  experienced  guides.  Even  then  a 
man  sometimes  loses  his  life.  These  guides 
have  to  learn  the  way  at  the  risk  of  their  own 
lives  and  they  take  serious  risks  every  time 
they  climb.  And  this  is  the  sphere  where  a man 
can  see  and  feel  with  his  outer  material  senses. 

How  much  more  does  a man  need  a guide  for 
the  climb  on  into  the  future  days  where  no  man 
has  yet  learned  how  to  see  or  feel  an  inch  ahead. 
With  all  our  great  advances  in  knowledge  and 
science  we  don’t  surely  know  a clock’s  tick 
ahead  what  is  coming.  The  coming  year  and 
month  and  day — even  the  next  moment — is 
utterly  hidden  from  our  eyes.  We  are  in  Egyptian 
darkness  that  may  be  felt,  and  that  is  felt,  about 
tomorrow.  We  are  used  to  it  from  the  earliest 
birth  of  life  and  move  on  with  a certain  steadiness, 
planning  and  shrewdly  guessing  how  certain 
matters  will  go. 

That  very  steadiness  of  step  in  our  common 
life  on  into  the  unlit  darkness  of  the  next  hour 
tells  of  a great  Guide  whose  hand  upon  life  all 
men  have  learned  unconsciously  to  trust.  But 
the  factor  of  fear  is  never  absent  from  human 
life,  though  it  lessens  steadily  as  one  comes  to 
know  his  Guide.  The  man  who  risks  going 
alone  in  a dangerous  mountain  climb  in  daylight 
is  reckoned  foolhardy.  Even  he  wouldn’t  go 
in  the  dark  night.  How  much  worse  is  it  to  go 


3 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


alone  on  the  life-climb  without  even  a single  ray 
of  daylight  to  show  the  way.  Yet  many  do  just 
that.  Eoolhardy  would  you  say .? 

There  is  a tender  awe  in  knowing  that  there 
is  some  One  at  your  side  guiding  at  every  step, 
restraining  here,  leading  on  there.  He  knows 
the  way  better  than  the  oldest  Swiss  guide 
knows  the  mountain  trail.  He  has  love’s  concern 
that  all  shall  go  well  with  you.  There  is  great 
peace  for  us  in  that,  and  with  it  a tender  awe 
to  think  who  he  is,  and  that  he  is  close  up  by 
your  side.  When  you  come  to  the  splitting  of  the 
road  into  two,  with  a third  path  forking  off 
from  the  others,  there  is  peace  in  just  holding 
steady  and  very  quiet  while  you  put  out  your 
hand  and  say,  “Jesus,  Master,  guide  here.” 
And  then  to  hear  a Voice  so  soft  that  only  in 
great  quiet  is  it  heard,  softer  than  faintest 
breath  on  your  cheek  or  slightest  touch  on  your 
arm,  telling  the  way  in  fewest  words  or  syllables — 
that  makes  the  peace  unspeakable. 

And  if  perhaps  the  chosen  road  lead  to  crowds 
and  great  service  and  praise  of  men,  you  will 
be  thinking  it  was  his  leading  that  brought 
you  there,  not  your  own  wisdom  or  talent.  He 
has  some  great  purpose  for  these  crowds,  and 
maybe  some  purpose  through  these  crowds 
farther  on.  And  you  will  be  very  careful  not  to 
disappoint  or  mar  his  plans.  And,  too,  you  will 
keep  very  quiet  and  close  that  the  dust  the  crowd 
is  raising  may  not  bother  your  eyes  and  dim 
the  vision  of  his  face. 

And  if  sometimes  the  way  be  lonely  and  long, 
and  the  brambly  thorn-bushes  on  the  sides 
scratch  face  and  hands,  and  sharp  stones  cut 
your  feet,  you  can,  if  you  will  be  quiet  enough. 


4 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


find  a new  softness  to  the  strong  arm  of  the 
Guide  around  you,  and  a new  fragrance  in  his 
presence  beside  you;  and  that  will  make  you 
grateful  for  the  roughness  of  the  road,  because 
it  draws  out  more  the  fineness  of  his  love  and 
of  himself. 

God  Plans  Every  Life 

Guidance  is  entirely  a matter  of  finding  God’s 
plan  and  then  following  it.  God  has  a plan  for 
every  life.  He  will  lead  us  into  it,  and  then  lead 
us  in  it,  step  by  step.  He  made  man’s  home 
before  he  made  man.  In  the  simple  Genesis 
record  he  planned  the  man,  of  what  sort  he 
should  be  and  what  service  he  should  do,  before 
he  made  him.  He  planned  the  best,  for  he  made 
him  in  his  own  image.  He  gave  himself,  his 
breath,  to  insure  that  likeness,  and  later  gave 
himself  again,  his  blood,  to  restore  it.  He 
planned  a new  trinity  in  making  man,  bimself 
and  the  man  and  the  woman,  for  perfection  of 
friendship  requires  three;  and  man  was  made 
for  fulness  of  friendship  with  God.  Everyone 
needs  two  friends,  one  above  to  draw  him  up, 
and  one  alongside  to  draw  him  out.  So  God 
planned. 

The  life  of  the  great  Hebrew  pioneer,  Abram, 
clearly  was  thought  out,i  and  as  clearly  that 
of  his  lineal  descendant,  the  great  law~giver,2 
and  that  of  his  immediate  successor,  Joshua.^ 
It  was  the  consciousness  that  he  was  filling  out 
God’s  plan  for  himself  that  held  Jeremiah  so 
steady  in  his  difficult  and  thankless,  dangerous 
task.'*  Paul,  the  man  to  whom  we  Gentile 
foreigners  owe  so  much,  had  no  doubt  of  this 

^Genesis  12:1  and  on.  ^N^mibers  27:18  and  on. 

^Exodus  2 and  3.  ‘‘Jeremiah  1;  4 and  on. 

5 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


in  his  own  life;*  and  he  plainly  set  it  down  as  a 
law  of  God’s  dealing  with  men.“  The  greater 
includes  the  lesser.  God  has  no  favorites.  Every 
man’s  life  is  planned. 

Every  man  should  plan  to  live  a planned  life, 
the  planned  life,  planned  by  Another.  Every 
man  may.  He  is  touching  the  very  tip-top  of 
human  achievement  who  comes  nearest  to  fitting 
into  the  plan  thought  out  for  him.  This  glorifies 
every  life,  no  matter  how  lowly,  or  in  how  hidden 
away  a corner;  for  the  touch  of  God’s  plan  is 
upon  it.  It  dignifies  one’s  life;  it  has  been 
thought  out  by  God! 

“There  ’s  a divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 

Rough-hew  them  how  we  will.” 

And  that  divine  One  will  shape  everything 
towards  the  end  he  has  planned  if  he  may  have 
our  consent. 

The  first  great  question  for  every  one  is  whether 
he  is  going  to  go  God’s  way  and  plan  to  fit  into 
God’s  plan.  The  real  stiff  work  in  the  problem 
of  guidance  is  here.  This  must  be  settled  first 
of  all  and  then  kept  settled.  It  can  easily  be 
settled  and  it  can  be  kept  settled.  Yet  almost 
every  man  of  us  is  bothered  with  either  one  or 
the  other  of  those  two  things.  But  if  a man 
will  do  up  this  part  of  the  sum,  the  figuring  out 
of  the  rest  is  assured;  and  more,  it  isn’t  hard. 
Let  it  once  be  fixed  that  a man’s  one  ambition 
is  to  fit  into  God’s  plan  for  him  and  he  has  a 
North  Star  ever  in  sight  to  guide  him  steadily 
over  any  sea,  however  shoreless  it  seem.  He 
has  a compass  that  points  true  in  the  thickest  fog 
and  fiercest  storm  and  is  unaffected  by  magnetic 
rocks. 

»Acts  13:2  and  on. 

Corinthians  12:11,  18. 


6 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


God  Tells  Us  His  Plan  for  Us 

God  reveals  his  plan  to  a man.  Of  course  he 
does.  He  naturally  would  if  he  expected  a man 
to  follow  it.  He  has  to  tell  it  if  we  are  to  know 
it.  He  does  tell  it  and  tells  it  in  the  plainest 
way.  This  is  the  second  great  factor  in  guidance. 
He  not  only  reveals  the  plan  to  follow  and  the 
path  to  tread  but  he  is  eager  to  do  it.  He  takes 
every  man  into  his  confidence  regarding  the  plan 
for  his  life.  But  his  great  trouble  is  to  get  our 
attention  so  he  can  tell  us. 

If  something  has  come  to  you  that  seems  very 
strange  and  unexplainable,  better  hold  very 
quiet  and  still.  God  is  probably  trying  to  get 
your  ear.  He  is  talking.  If  you  give  your 
attention  you  will  hear  something.  He  needs 
some  help;  there  is  something  to  be  done;  he 
wants  you  to  give  him  a hand,  a lift,  a life-lift. 
He  is  trying  to  attract  your  attention.  If  you 
give  it  and  fall  in  heartily  with  his  plan  you 
will  understand  what  he  has  been  doing,  and 
when  the  thing  that  hurts  has  done  its  work  it 
will  likely  be  taken  away. 

He  reveals  the  general  plan  at  once,  but  the 
steps  in  it  only  one  at  a time.  He  wants  to  keep 
in  touch  with  us  all  the  time.i  His  plan  needs 
two  at  each  stage,  himself  and  you.  We  need 
to  be  trained  to  keep  his  pace.  We  are  apt  to 
either  dash  ahead  or  to  lag  behind.  Both  bother 
the  plans.  There  is  a fascination  in  noting  how 
much  stronger  men  as  Abram^  and  Joshua® 
were  told  a step  at  a time  what  to  do.  As  one 
step  was  taken  the  next  became  clear,  and  that 
taken,  cleared  the  next.  Steady  walking  takes 

^Genesis  22:2,  11,  12,  15-18;  Matthew  2:13. 

^Genesis  12:1,  4 with?;  17:9,  10  with  23,  and  18:1. 

^Note  first  ten  chapters  of  Joshua. 

7 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


most  strength.  Some  of  us  are  good  at  a dashy, 
eagle-flight  up,  or  a quick  spurt  down  the  road, 
but  we  have  not  learned  the  walk-step  yet.' 

Accepting  God’s  Plan 

How  may  we  know  God’s  plan  for  us?  No 
question  has  been  asked  more  often,  nor  more 
earnestly  than  just  this:  “May  I know  certainly 
what  God’s  plan  for  me  is?’’  And  the  deep 
glow  of  fire  in  the  eye  tells  eloquently  of  the 
eager  desire  of  the  heart.  Yes,  surely  we  may 
know  and  may  know  surely.  He  that  is  willing 
to  do  may  know  and  will  know.  The  life-plan 
that  has  been  thought  out  may  be  known,  and 
there  may  be,  too,  the  steady  going  along  in 
the  plan  step  by  step  without  breaks.  A 
man  needn’t  even  stub  his  toe,  much  less  fall 
down. 

The  first  essential  to  knowing  God’s  plan  is 
meekness.  That  simply  means  accepting  Some- 
body’s else  plan  for  the  life.  Meekness  is  not 
weakness;  it  is  strength  using  its  strength  in 
deliberately  yielding  to  a higher  will.  Moses 
is  called  the  meekest  man  because  he  yielded  so 
fully  and  constantly  to  Somebody’s  else  plan. 
He  might  have  been  the  Pharaoh  of  the  world’s 
leading  nation,  but  he  chose  to  ally  himself  with 
a race  of  ex-slaves  because  that  was  Somebody’s 
else  plan  for  him.  And  the  spirit  of  that  choice 
pervaded  his  whole  life. 

Jesus  was  not  the  meekest  man.  He  was 
meekness  personified.  The  word  gets  a new 
fineness  of  meaning  from  his  life.  He  might  have 
swayed  Athens  and  Corinth,  the  centres  of  the 
world’s  philosophies,  with  his  philosophy  of  life, 
ilsaiah  40:31. 


8 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


but  he  chose  rather  to  teach  the  poor,  for  that  was 
Another’s  plan  for  him.  He  might  have  held  in 
his  steady  grasp  the  reins  of  a new  earthly 
government  stronger  than  that  of  Rome,  but  he 
chose  rather  to  win  the  government  of  men’s 
hearts,  for  that  was  Another’s  plan  for  those 
human  years. 

He  might  have  been  the  centre  of  the  highest 
social  circles  of  beautiful,  cultured  Antioch-on- 
the-Orontes,  but  he  chose  to  grace  and  sweeten 
with  his  presence  the  homes  of  the  lowly,  for 
so  his  Father  wished.  His  voice  could  have  been 
used  to  give  out  music  that  would  have  classed 
him  as  the  world’s  greatest  musician,  but  he 
chose  to  sing  to  babes  and  to  women  and  men 
tired  out  under  heavy  loads,  for  that  was 
Another’s  plan. 

Those  fingers  of  his  could  have  chiselled  marble 
and  touched  canvas  into  a life  far  beyond  what 
marble  and  canvas  have  ever  known,  but  he 
used  them  in  ministering  to  sick  and  needy  and 
tired-out  folks,  for  so  it  had  been  planned  for 
him.  He  came  to  carry  out  the  plan  of  Another. 
That  was  the  great  meekness  of  his  great 
strength. 

This  quality  of  meekness  lies  at  the  very  root 
of  guidance.  It  makes  the  road  simple  and 
straight.  The  man  eager  to  do  what  God  wants 
done  will  know  certainly  what  to  do.i  This  is 
a family  trait  by  which  the  sons  of  the  King  may 
be  recognized. 2 Those  in  the  inner  family  circle 
of  God  have  a fine  passion  for  doing  what  he 
wants  done. 

The  second  great  essential  in  knowing  God’s 
plan  is  obedience.  This  is  really  saying  the  first 

iPsalm  25:9. 

^Romans  8:14. 


9 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


thing  over  again.  Obedience  is  meekness;  it  is 
meekness  in  action,  in  daily  use.  Obedience  is 
practising  meekness.  It  makes  meekness  effec- 
tive. Meekness  is  accepting  the  plan;  obedience 
is  working  it  out  bit  by  bit.  Meekness  is  the 
attitude  of  one’s  spirit  towards  God;  obedience 
is  the  doing  of  the  things  he  wants  done. 

A Disciplined  Judgment 

There  is  a third  essential  of  immense  impor- 
tance: listening  to  God.  God  is  telling  us  the  plan 
and  telling  us  the  next  step  to  take,  but  our 
ears  bother  us;  they  are  so  dull.  It  is  amazing 
how  many  deaf  children  there  are  in  God’s 
family.  The  deafness  seems  to  grow  with  the 
years.  For  usually  the  child-ear — whether  a 
child  in  years,  or  in  religious  experience — is 
keen,  though  it  needs  training.  There  is  nothing 
so  necessary  as  keen,  trained  ears.  Yet  there 
seems  to  be  nothing  rarer. 

There  are  three  things  given  us  for  guidance: 
the  Word  of  God,  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  our  own 
sense,  or  reasoning  powers — our  judgment. 
These  three  are  meant  to  agree.  When  they  do 
agree  in  one  the  way  is  surely  clear.  When  they 
do  not  agree,  the  only  wise  thing  to  do  is  to  do 
nothing;  to  wait  till  they  do  agree.  Usually 
the  judgment  is  amiss  and  needs  straightening 
up  to  the  other  two. 

The  Word  of  God  read  habitually  disciplines 
the  judgment.  There  comes  to  be  a settled 
conviction  as  to  God’s  character  and  preferences 
and  ways  of  working.  There  comes,  too,  a 
keener  use  of  one’s  thinking  powers.  The 
Spirit  of  God  within  makes  plain  the  meaning  of 


10 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


the  Word  and  adapts  it  to  our  needs  in  a very 
wonderful  way.  With  the  Book  of  God  in  his 
hands  in  good  plain  type,  and  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  his  heart,  and  the  common  sense  with  which 
we  are  all  endowed,  no  man  need  be  in  doubt 
when  acting  time  comes,  nor  make  any  mis- 
steps. And  this  is  said  with  keen  consciousness 
of  many  a slip. 

As  I sift  over  the  facts  and  circumstances 
that  bear  upon  the  decision  I must  make,  the 
Spirit  of  God  will  guide  my  thinking.  He 
will  help  me  to  see  colorlessly,  to  weigh  accurately, 
and  to  reach  a right  conclusion.  This  is  putting 
guidance  on  the  highest  plane.  God  uses  the 
thinking  powers  he  has  given  us.  They  need 
the  discipline  of  his  Word,  of  his  Spirit’s  in- 
dwelling and  of  use.  Questions  of  right  and  wrong 
are  decided  by  the  statements  of  the  Word. 
Questions  of  what  best  to  do  are  decided  by  the 
judgment,  disciplined  by  the  Word  and  guided 
by  the  Spirit. 

The  passion  for  God’s  plan  is  the  great  counter- 
actant for  the  undue  personal  element.  The 
steady,  burning  passion  to  do  his  will  makes 
one  forget  all  else  and  yet  makes  him  fit  in 
eagerly  where  service  is  called  for,  but  with  no 
sense  of  having  done  some  great  thing  even  when 
he  has.  He  is  absorbed  in  Someone  else  through 
whose  power  the  thing  was  accomplished,  and 
whose  glory  is  the  one  dominant  thought. 

Unhurried  Waiting 

All  of  this  is  in  that  twenty-fifth  psalm, 
the  great  guidance  psalm.  It  was  written  in 
the  midst  of  difficulties  and  sore  temptations. 


11 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


It  should  be  studied  much  by  the  man  seeking  to 
understand  guidance.  It  begins  with  oft- 
repeated  prayer  for  guidance  that  reveals  an 
earnest  heart-desire  to  go  God’s  way.  The 
praying  stirs  the  memory  of  its  writer  to  the  fact 
that  he  hasn’t  always  chosen  God’s  way,  but 
has  preferred  his  own.  It  is  the  meek  man  who 
reverently  “fears  the  Lord,”  who  is  guided  and 
taught  about  the  way  to  go.  The  path  pointed 
out  is  not  only  the  right  one  but  proves  to  be  a 
loving  one  for  him  who  is  obedient:  “unto  such 
as  keep  his  covenant  and  his  testimonies.” 
1 Ins  meek,  obedient  man  waits  on  God;  he  is 
in  the  spirit  of  constant  listening.  And  he  is 
guided  in  thinking  out  his  decisions.  He  is 
instructed  in  the  way  to  choose.  God  does  the 
instructing;  the  man  does  the  choosing;  he  is 
helped  in  his  mental  processes.  The  result 
specified  is  two-fold:  great  peace,  his  soul  dwelling 
at  ease;  and  power  or  good  success,  his  seed  in- 
heriting the  land. 

Then  comes  the  great  statement  that  the  friend- 
ship of  the  Lord,  the  exchange  of  confidences,  is 
given  to  such  men:  “and  he  will  show  them  his 
covenant;”  that  is,  what  he  has  planned  to  do, 
and  then  the  plans  actually  carried  out.  And 
the  writer  emphasizes  the  true  spirit  that  brings 
all  this — “mine  eyes  are  ever  toward  the  Lord” 
Such  a man  will  know  surely  how  to  go  and  will 
have  strength  to  go  when  the  way  is  hard;  and 
more,  will  find  the  road  to  lead  him  into  far  more 
of  blessing  than  he  had  ever  thought  of. 

There  is  a fine  word  from  Luke’s  pen  describing 
the  decision  to  go  to  Europe  the  morning  after 
Paul’s  vision  of  the  Macedonian  man.  Luke 
had  joined  Paul.  Paul  tells  him  his  vision. 


12 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


“Straightway,”  he  writes,  “we  sought  to  go 
forth  into  Macedonia,  concluding  that  God  had 
called  us  to  preach  the  gospel  to  them.”i  The 
old  version  says,  “assuredly  gathering”  in  place 
of  “ concluding.”  The  word  underneath  suggests 
a putting  together  of  this  and  that,  and  so 
drawing  an  inference.  It  describes  the  common 
process  of  thinking  a thing  out.  In  this  case 
the  evidence  was  very  clear,  but  the  word  used 
for  the  thinking  and  talking  it  over  is  very  help- 
ful. They  were  being  guided  in  their  mental 
processes.  God’s  law  of  progress  is  to  take  the 
next  logical  step.  But  one  should  not  take  a 
step  when  in  doubt  about  it’s  being  the  right  one. 

A business  man  of  Belfast,  well  known  in  that 
city,  told  this  bit  of  his  experience  to  a group 
of  men  in  the  Fulton  Street  prayer  meeting 
room  one  noon.  He  is  a builder  and  recognized 
as  an  expert  in  that  business.  He  had  been  called 
to  examine  a large  building  which  was  being 
seriously  jarred  by  the  motion  of  the  machinery. 
Efforts  were  made  to  find  out  why  the  machinery 
shook  the  building  so  but  they  failed  to  reveal 
the  defect  in  construction.  He  examined  the 
building  most  thoroughly  but  could  find  no  faulty 
place.  It  was  one  of  the  best  constructed  build- 
ings he  had  ever  examined,  he  said.  He  was 
much  puzzled  to  know  where  the  defect  could  be 
and  felt  quite  nonplussed. 

As  he  stood  looking  about  in  his  perplexity,  he 
sent  up  a softly  breathed  prayer  to  be  shown 
where  the  trouble  was.  At  once  his  thought  went 
to  a certain  large  post  or  beam  on  which  part  of 
the  machinery  rested.  He  then  noticed  that  it 
was  not  properly  adjusted.  It  was  plainly  the 

^Acts  16:10,  American  Revision. 


13 


the  problem  of  guidance 


cause  of  the  violent  jarring  of  the  building  by  the 
machinery.  Yet  he  had  gone  painstakingly 
over  the  whole  structure  without  finding  it,  as 
had  other  experts.  The  defect  was  pointed  out 
and  remedied  and  all  jarring  ceased.  Could 
there  be  simpler  and  yet  more  direct  illustration 
of  the  old  bit,  “The  meek  will  he  guide  in  his 
mental  processes?” 

A small  group  of  young  men  entrusted  with 
the  supervision  of  one  of  the  great  religious 
activities  among  young  men  were  spending  a day 
in  conference  and  prayer.  Men  were  to  be  chosen 
for  certain  very  important  positions.  A mistake 
in  choosing  would  have  very  serious  results. 
They  talked  over  the  men  in  mind  and  their 
suitability  to  the  tasks  involved,  and  prayed 
together.  A decision  was  reached  about  certain 
men,  but  reached  tentatively,  not  decisively, 
not  finally.  The  suggestion  was  made  that  they 
separate,  pray  and  think  separately  and  then 
come  together  again.  The  matter  was  so  serious 
that  there  must  be  no  mis-step  or  mistake.  They 
did  so,  and  while  in  prayer  alone  the  conviction 
came  that  it  would  not  be  best  to  send  a certain 
man,  tentatively  decided  upon,  for  a certain 
post.  More  prayer  and  conference  followed 
and  the  arrangements  were  readjusted. 

So  these  men  were  guided  in  their  mental 
processes.  So  were  they  guided  to  plan  out 
unhurriedly,  with  utmost  thoroughness,  their 
serious  task.  These  men  were  keen  Bible 
students,  with  disciplined  judgment  much  above 
the  average,  and  with  a rare  openness  of  mind 
to  the  suggestions  of  God’s  Spirit,  as  a result  of 
long  habit.  Here  was  the  habit  into  which 
they  had  been  led  through  long  experience,  of 


14 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


being  guided  by  the  Spirit  through  their  trained 
thinking  powers.  The  withdrawal  from  each 
other’s  presence  made  them  more  susceptible 
to  the  presence  of  the  One  whose  will  they  were 
bent  on  doing. 

Instructed  in  the  Night  Seasons 

The  habit  into  which  I have  grown  in  making 
decisions,  even  about  smaller  matters,  is  to 
gather  up  all  the  information  on  the  matter, 
thresh  it  out  and  sift  it  over  into  the  clearest 
shape  possible,  pray  over  it,  be  content  to  have 
it  go  either  way  regardless  of  personal  preferences, 
and  then  sleep  over  it.  In  the  morning  hour 
alone  I am  apt  to  know  pretty  clearly  what  to 
do.  If  not  quite  clear,  I wait  a while  longer, 
including  sometimes  more  than  one  night’s 
sleep.  The  sleep  induces  a quietness  in  which 
the  thing  assumes  clear  shape. 

Then,  too,  there  is  a statement  of  the  old  Book 
that  seems  to  me  to  fit  in  here,  though  I know  well 
that  some  may  think  the  interpretation  of  it 
rather  fanciful.  “So  he  giveth  unto  his  beloved 
sleep”!  is  the  reading  of  both  old  and  revised 
versions.  But  the  margin  gives  this  alternate 
reading;  “So  he  giveth  unto  his  beloved  in 
sleep.”  I do  not  say  this  is  the  first  meaning  of 
that  tender  old  bit  of  the  Book.  I do  not  know. 
But  I recall  how  he  gives  bodily  strength  in  sleep 
and  has  turned  the  tide  of  sickness  and  weakness 
in  sleep,  and  I recall,  too,  that  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment times  he  used  to  reveal  his  plan  to  men 
in  their  sleep. 

The  man  who  proved  to  be  God’s  messenger 
to  Job  told  that  troubled  man  this: 

•Psalm  127:2. 


15 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


“God  speaketh  once, 

Yea  twice,  though  man  regardeth  it  not. 

In  a dream,  in  a vision  of  the  night. 

When  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men. 

In  slumberings  upon  the  bed; 

Then  he  openeth  the  ears  of  men 
And  sealeth  their  instruction. 

And  the  sixteenth  psalm  has  this: 

“I  will  bless  Jehovah,  who  hath  given  me 
counsel; 

Yea,  my  heart  instructeth  me  in  the  night 
seasons.  ”2 

I am  not  speaking  of  dreams  but  only  of  this — 
that  through  the  perfectly  natural  channel  of 
the  thoughts  he  gives  in  sleep  that  which  guides 
us  when  awake.  There  is  here  no  element  of 
the  supernatural  involved.  Through  nature’s 
duly  appointed  channels,  the  mental  processes, 
God,  in  a time  of  greatest  stillness,  clears  the 
thinking  and  suggests  what  to  do. 

Finding  the  Life-plan 

The  great  question  of  finding  out  the  life-plaii 
has  puzzled  a great  many  and  should  have  a 
special  word  here.  The  fact  that  there  is  a 
life-plan  for  every  one  and  that  God  is  naturally 
eager  to  tell  it  so  that  it  may  be  carried  out, 
clears  the  ground  very  much.  The  man  who 
wants  to  know,  can  know,  without  any  doubt. 
Hundreds  of  young  people  are  facing  the  question 
of  giving  their  lives  to  the  great,  needy,  foreign 
mission  fields.  There,  without  any  question,  is 
the  greatest  need  and  there  too  is  the  greatest 
privilege  of  service.  And  in  addition  to  that  are 

'Job  33:  15,  16. 

2Psaim  16:7. 


16 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


the  great  home  mission  fields  and  the  church 
ministry.  In  our  day  there  is  a great  call  for 
many  sorts  of  workers  in  addition  to  the  ordained 
ministry. 

The  general  plan  for  all  followers  of  Jesus  is 
that  they  shall  go.  The  general  marching  order 
to  all  who  hear  his  voice  is  a plain,  imperative 
“Go.”  The  early  disciples  so  understood  and 
went.  In  foreign  mission  lands  there  is  a spirit 
akin  to  that  of  these  early  disciples.  In  Korea 
today  they  are  going  everywhere  in  the  same 
way.  Whenever  there  is  a spirit  of  awakening 
in  the  church  there  is  always  a spirit  of  awakening 
to  this  ringing  call  to  go.  Whenever  the  Spirit 
of  God  gets  sway  in  a man’s  life,  among  other 
marked  characteristics  is  a new,  yearning  earnest- 
ness to  take  the  message  of  Jesus  to  the  far-off 
peoples  who  have  had  no  word  of  it. 

But  in  addition  to  the  general  marching  order 
is  the  particular  personal  order.  The  Master 
has  made  plain  his  plan  for  his  church;  it  is 
to  go.  He  makes  plain  his  plan  for  each  member 
of  his  church  where  he  is  to  go.  The  whole 
scheme  is  mapped  out  by  the  Lord  of  the  harvest 
and  each  one’s  place  in  the  scheme,  too.  And 
while  all  may  go  in  a very  real  sense  to  those 
neediest  fields  by  prayer  and  money  and  earnest 
sentiment-making,  some  are  not  to  go  there 
personally  but  to  stay  here.  The  great  thing  is 
to  be  where  the  Master  has  planned. 

How  shall  a man  know  that  plan  for  himself? 
He  should  aim  to  gather  all  available  information; 
w'eigh  and  balance  it  carefully;  wait  quietly 
upon  God,  both  in  prayer  and  in  the  spirit  of  his 
life,  with  a full,  eager  willingness  to  go  far  or 
stay  near;  to  be  wholly  in  religious  service  or  a 


17 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


volunteer  with  other  duties,  as  the  plan  may  be. 
He  that  is  willing  to  go  shall  know.  He  should 
inform  himself  about  the  great  w'orld-fields. 
That  is  very  easily  done  today.  The  Student 
Volunteer  Movement  and  the  young  people’s 
movements  have  brought  the  information  close 
home  in  very  easy  shape. 

He  ought  to  think  about  his  own  abilities  and 
special  gifts.  These  gifts  and  talents  are  gifts 
from  God,  and  so  a trust.  One  should  think 
soberly  of  what  he  can  do,  and  cannot  do,  that 
he  may  know  his  responsibility  and  meet  it. 
Some  sensible  friend  or  two,  sympathetic  with 
you  and  with  the  needs,  can  be  of  real  service 
here,  to  help  you  get  an  impartial  view,  but 
the  decision  must  rest  with  yourself.  The 
circumstances  of  one’s  life  must  be  considered 
and  the  home  responsibilities.  I know  a young 
man  who  burned  with  the  desire  to  go  to  a foreign 
field.  But  it  was  very  plain  to  him  that  he  should 
not  leave  home;  he  was  needed  there.  There 
was  a deep  twinge  of  regret  as  the  situation 
cleared  to  him;  but  no  element  of  doubt.  Clearly 
it  was  so  planned  for  him.  And  he  has  since 
been  used  graciously  in  every  mission  land  while 
yet  remaining  home.  That  is  the  story  of  very 
many  who  have  discerned  clearly  the  plan  and 
gladly  fitted  into  it. 

All  this  one  should  gather  up:  facts  about  the 
world-need;  about  himself,  with  friends  to  help 
get  the  undue  personal  coloring  out;  about  his 
circumstances;  and  the  strong  inward  impulse. 
These  should  be  sifted  and  weighed  unhurriedly, 
and  balanced,  and  time  spent  in  quiet  prayer 
alone  with  God  over  his  Word.  So  will  a man 
come  to  know  with  the  certainty  that  steadies 


18 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


all  his  coming  service.  And  he  will  always 
know  in  time.  But  he  must  not  be  hurried;  he 
may  decide  quickly  but  he  must  not  decide 
hurriedly. 

“My  Sheep  Hear  My  Voice” 

There  are  some  snags  in  these  waters  to  be 
looked  out  for  and  avoided.  Some  terrible 
mistakes  have  been  made  by  those  who  said 
they  had  heard  the  voice  of  God  and  were  doing 
as  he  had  bid.  I am  not  speaking  now  of  those 
who  havedone  insane  things  under  such  a delusion. 
But  godly,  well-equipped  men,  earnest  and  whole- 
hearted in  their  devotion,  have  made  pitiable 
mistakes  that  have  sadly  blighted  both  life  and 
service. 

There  is  need  of  constant  watchful  care. 
Yet  one  may  be  sure.  The  Master  said,  “My 
sheep  hear  my  voice;”'  that  is,  they  recognize  it. 
The  actual  sheep  in  that  land  are  very  keen  and 
quick  to  recognize  their  own  master’s  voice. 
That  sheep  simile  is  immensely  helpful  here. 
The  sheep  live  with  the  shepherd.  It  is  by  long 
daily  intimacy  with  him  that  they  know  him 
so  well. 

So  with  us.  By  the  intimacy  of  daily  contact 
with  God;  by  the  intimacy  of  knowledge  of 
his  voice,  and  by  the  cultivation  of  a quiet 
spirit  one  grows  keener  to  know  that  voice, 
for  it  is  a voice  of  great,  still  quietness.  There  is 
a voice  of  God  as  well  as  a Book  of  God.  God 
speaks  by  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  to  a man’s 
inner  spirit.  He  is  apt  to  speak  in  the  words 
of  the  Book.  Sometimes  he  speaks  otherwise. 
And  when  he  does  it  is  always  in  accord  with  the 

Book,  of  course;  the  voice  of  God  agrees  with 

'John  10:27. 


19 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  GUIDANCE 


Itself.  He  never  speaks  contrary  to  the  Book 
nor  to  the  spirit  of  it. 

Having  asked  for  guidance  and  reached  your 
decision,  never  look  back  and  question  your 
guidance.  If  indeed  it  be  clear  that  you  have 
not  waited  quietly  enough;  have  not  heard 
distinctly,  and  made  a decision  unwisely,  of 
course  it  must  be  changed.  But  when  you  have 
waited  and  listened  and  not  hurried,  and  have 
come  to  a decision,  then  refuse  to  question  it. 
Push  quietly  on.  There  is  a teasing,  nagging 
indecision  that  whips  back  and  forth  over  a 
matter  already  disposed  of.  It  often  comes  from 
worn-out  nerves.  Good  sound  sleep;  plenty  of 
fresh  air,  and  plain  food  thoroughly  chewed  would 
dispel  many  of  the  distracting,  confusing  thoughts 
that  come  racing  in  like  staghounds  to  bother  us. 
They  would  help  us  to  hold  steady  mentally 
and  to  know  the  thing  to  do.  Sometimes  this 
indecision  lies  deeper  down  than  a tired  body 
and  is  a mental  trait  to  be  chastened  and  dis- 
ciplined. 

A will  bended  to  God’s;  a spirit  of  obedience 
to  his  wishes;  the  Book  kept  open;  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  Spirit’s  friendship;  time  alone  with 
the  Book  daily;  a habit  of  wide  reading  of  its 
pages,  a quiet,  unhurried  spirit — these  simple, 
great  things  lead  to  the  disciplined  judgment 
and  sensitive  spirit  that  know  what  to  do  and 
make  no  slips. 

“Thou  sweet,  beloved  will  of  God, 

My  anchor-ground,  my  fortress  hill, 

My  spirit’s  silent  fair  abode: 

In  thee  I hide  me  and  am  still. 

Upon  God’s  will  I lay  me  down 


20 


THE  PROBLEM  OE  GUIDANCE 


As  child  upon  its  mother’s  breast; 

No  silken  couch,  nor  softest  bed 
Could  ever  give  me  such  sweet  rest. 

Thy  wonderful,  grand  will,  my  God, 
With  triumph  now  I make  it  mine; 

And  love  shall  cry  a joyous  ‘yes’ 

To  every  dear  command  of  thine. 

Thy  beautiful,  sweet  will,  my  God, 

Holds  fast  in  its  sublime  embrace 

My  captive  will,  a gladsome  bird 
Prisoned  in  such  a realm  of  grace. 

Within  this  place  of  certain  good 
Love  evermore  expands  her  wings: 

Or,  nestling  in  thy  perfect  choice. 

Abides  content  with  what  it  brings; 

A sweetest  burden,  lightest  yoke. 

It  lifts,  it  bears  my  happy  soul; 

It  giveth  wings  to  this  poor  heart; 

My  freedom  is  thy  grand  control.”  ‘ 

^Madame  Guyon. 


21 


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